Cortisol Isn't the Villain, But It Might Be Wrecking Your Midlife Metabolism

If you're doing all the right things and still feel tired, wired at night, and stuck with weight that won't budge around your middle, this episode is for you.Most women think cortisol is just about stress. And friend, that is not the whole story. You can be managing your schedule, saying no when you need to, keeping your life under control, and your cortisol can still be running high all day long without you ever feeling stressed. I lived in that exact state for years and had no idea. I just thought the exhaustion, the belly weight, the brain fog, and the three a.m. wake-ups were my normal. They weren't. That was cortisol, and nobody warned me it was happening.In this episode, I'm walking you through what cortisol actually is, why it's not the villain it gets made out to be, and the five things that are really keeping it elevated. Most of them have nothing to do with feeling stressed. We'll talk about why chronic dieting quietly traps you in a loop that makes everything worse, what perimenopause does to your built-in calming hormone, and the real priority order for bringing your cortisol back down so your body can finally let go of what it's been holding onto.Whether you've been dieting for years, you're navigating perimenopause, or you're just tired of trying harder and getting nowhere, you deserve the whole picture. Your body is not broken. It's communicating. 💕Everything we talked about today, protecting your muscle, stabilizing your blood sugar, getting your hormones working with you instead of against you, matters even more if you're on a GLP-1 or thinking about starting one. That's exactly what my upcoming masterclass is about. "What Your Doctor Didn't Tell You About GLP-1s" is a live class where I walk you through exactly what to eat, how to protect your muscle, and how to build a long-term plan whether you stay on these medications or not. It's happening live on Thursday, June 25 at 1pm Eastern, and there's a 7-day replay if you can't make it live.Save your seat: GLP-1 Masterclass

If you're on a GLP-1, thinking about starting one, or quietly wondering how you'll ever get off it without gaining everything back, this episode is for you.There's a lot your doctor probably didn't tell you when they wrote that prescription. Not because anyone's hiding something, but because the appointment was ten minutes long and nobody actually walked you through what happens to your body, your muscle, and your metabolism while you're on the medication. That gap is exactly why so many women lose weight on a GLP-1 and still feel weak, still feel off, and still feel scared about what comes next.In this episode, I'm getting honest about what these drugs can and can't do, why losing weight and losing muscle are not the same thing, and what it really takes to come out the other side stronger instead of starting over. Whether you want to stay on the medication, taper off it, or you're just trying to make a decision you won't second-guess later, you deserve the whole picture.And if this episode cracks the door open for you, the masterclass is where you get the full map. "What Your Doctor Didn't Tell You About GLP-1s" is a live class where I walk you through exactly what to eat, how to protect your muscle, and how to build a long-term plan whether you stay on these medications or not. It's happening live on Thursday, June 25 at 1pm Eastern, and there's a 7-day replay if you can't make it live.Save your seat: GLP-1 Masterclass

You weren't failing those diets. Those diets were teaching your body to fail you.Have you noticed that the diets that used to work in your twenties barely move the needle anymore? That you can eat the exact same way you ate five years ago and the scale just sits there and laughs at you? That's not in your head. And it's not a willpower problem.After years of dieting, especially during perimenopause and menopause, your body adapts to protect itself. Your metabolism slows down. Your hormones get dysregulated. Insulin resistance sets in. And every diet you try just digs the hole a little deeper.In this episode, I'm walking you through the real reason weight loss gets harder after 40, including:The Biggest Loser study that proved your metabolism can stay suppressed for years after a diet endsHow insulin resistance and cortisol team up to lock fat in placeWhy set point theory means your body will fight you to defend a higher weightThe cumulative damage of decades of yo-yo dietingWhat actually works instead of dieting (it's not what you've been told)Three specific things you can do this week to start healingIf you've been doing everything right and your body still isn't cooperating, this is the episode that's going to put down the shame you've been carrying for years.Want to learn more? Watch our free on-demand video training at Thinlicious.com/happy.

You're not failing. You've been fooled.The foods that were keeping me stuck, tired, inflamed, holding onto weight no matter what I did, were not the cookies. They weren't the candy. They weren't the obvious junk.They were the foods I was eating because I was trying to be healthy.The yogurt. The smoothie. The protein bar. The granola. The whole-grain everything. The stuff with the little health halo on the front of the package that made me feel good about my choices.And the whole time, they were spiking my insulin and quietly working against me.In this episode, I'm walking you through the seven worst offenders. The foods that look so good on paper and are keeping you stuck. We're also getting a little nerdy with the science (don't worry, I promise it'll make a difference), so you'll finally understand why insulin, not calories, is the number that actually matters. And I'll leave you with three simple swaps you can make this week to start taking your power back.If you've been doing everything right and still feel like your body isn't cooperating, this one's for you.Ready to start fixing your metabolism? Check out our free training at Thinlicious.com/happy.

If you've been told that the weight gain, the exhaustion, the brain fog, and the joint pain are just "part of having an autoimmune disease" — this episode is for you.For decades, that's exactly what I was told. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, Raynaud's, and lupus in my teens and twenties, and I spent most of my adult life feeling sick, exhausted, and in pain. I hit 288 pounds. I tried every diet. I lost weight, gained it back, and blamed myself every single time. And every time I went to the doctor, the script was the same: "I'm not sure exactly what's going on. It's probably autoimmune related. Also — it would probably help if you lost some weight."Like that was a treatment plan.In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the real reason it's so much harder for women with autoimmune conditions to lose weight — and it has nothing to do with willpower. There's actually a clear hormonal cascade going on inside your body, and once you understand it, the whole picture changes.We're covering:Why autoimmune disease creates the chronic inflammation that drives insulin resistanceHow insulin resistance literally locks fat in your cells (and why "eating less" can't fix it)The thyroid piece your doctor probably isn't testing for — even with Hashimoto'sThe role medications like steroids play in weight gain and bone densityWhy a doctor's casual "you should lose weight" advice isn't a plan — it's a brush-offThree specific things you can do this week to start healingI'm sharing my own story, too — including the moment my chronic migraines and cluster headaches almost completely disappeared after years of suffering. That was the moment I knew this wasn't a diet. This was healing.I want to be clear: I'm not telling you that food cured my autoimmune diseases. I still have Hashimoto's, Raynaud's, and lupus. But my body finally got what it needed — and the difference was profound. Eight years later, I've maintained over 100 pounds of weight loss, my energy is steady, and I'm finally living the life I thought I'd lost.If you've been working harder than anyone you know and getting nowhere — please, listen to this one.Ready to start healing your metabolism? Get our free guide at Thinlicious.com/happy.

Episode SummaryWomen have up to 70-80% lower creatine stores than men — and most of us have never been told that. In this episode Lisa digs into what that means for your brain, sleep, mood, muscles, and energy, and why creatine may be one of the most underreported tools in women's health right now.What You'll LearnWhat creatine actually is and why it matters beyond the gymWhy women have lower creatine stores — and why that gap widens in perimenopauseHow creatine supports brain energy (ATP) and what happens when levels run lowThe research on creatine and memory, processing speed, and mental clarityWhy creatine may reduce depression symptoms — more so in women than menCreatine and sleep: the adenosine mechanism, the 2024 women's RCT, and the 2025 perimenopause findingsThe University of Kansas Alzheimer's pilot studyCreatine + resistance training for muscle and bone health over 40How much to take: 5g for general health vs. 10g for brain-specific benefitsStart HereReady to heal your metabolism? thinlicious.com/happyStudies ReferencedCognitive Function & MemoryXu et al. (2024) — Creatine & Cognitive Function: Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition.Depression in WomenLyoo et al. (2012) — Creatine Augmentation for SSRI in Women With Major Depression. American Journal of Psychiatry.Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis: Creatine for Depression (2025). British Journal of Nutrition.SleepDworak et al. (2017) — Creatine Reduces Sleep Need & Homeostatic Sleep Pressure in Rats. Journal of Sleep Research.Aguiar Bonfim Cruz et al. (2024) — Creatine Improves Sleep in Naturally Menstruating Females. Nutrients.Gordji-Nejad et al. (2024) — Single Dose Creatine Improves Cognition During Sleep Deprivation. Scientific Reports.Hall et al. (2025) — Creatine + Resistance Training in Peri/Postmenopausal Women: Sleep, Cognition, Strength. JISSN.Alzheimer's DiseaseSmith et al. (2025) — Creatine Monohydrate Pilot in Alzheimer's: Brain Creatine & Cognition. Alzheimer's & Dementia.Brain Dosing: The Case for 10gDechent et al. (1999) — Creatine Increases Brain Creatine by 8.7% in Human Neuroimaging Study. American Journal of Physiology.Candow et al. — Higher Creatine Doses for Brain Bioenergetics. Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science.Dr. Rhonda Patrick on 10g brain dosing (@foundmyfitness)Medical Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult your doctor before starting any new supplement.

If you've been wondering where we've been — this episode is your answer. And trust us, it was worth the wait.Today, Ruth Soukup is joined by someone you may already know and love from inside the Thinlicious community: Lisa Joy Thompson. She's been here since day one — literally the very first coach in the TAS program — and today we're making it official. Lisa is now the majority owner of Thinlicious, and this podcast has a new home with her at the helm.But before we get to the big news, we're taking you back to the beginning. Because the story of how this happened isn't just a business announcement. It's a God thing. And you need to hear it from the start.In this episode, Ruth and Lisa share:How Ruth's decade-long yo-yo diet struggle led her to finally ask the right question — and lose 40 pounds in six months by ditching everything she'd been told about weight lossLisa's parallel journey: diagnosed with autoimmune disease in her teens and twenties, hitting 280 pounds at 40, and eventually losing over 100 pounds (and keeping it off for eight years) by eating the same way TAS is built onThe Christmas Eve party conversation that started it all — and why Ruth's first answer when asked "who would you sell Thinlicious to?" was Lisa, without hesitationWhat this transition actually means for you as a member of this community — and why the best of Thinlicious is still aheadWhat's coming next: more coaching, more community, and more of what has always made this program workThis isn't goodbye. It's the beginning of something even bigger. Ruth isn't disappearing — she's cheering Lisa on as her partner and biggest fan. And Lisa? She's been living this mission for years. She just gets to lead it now.If you're a woman over 40 who's tired of feeling sick, exhausted, and like your body has stopped cooperating — you're in the right place. The Feel Better, Live Free podcast is back on a regular schedule, and we cannot wait to show you what's coming.Ready to get started? Visit Thinlicious.com/happy to take your first step toward healing your body and getting your life back.

Two babies under two. 80 pounds lost. More energy than ever.And the best part? She’s just getting started.Today I’m excited to introduce you to one of my incredible clients, Tiffany Greer, and to share her incredible story, because it’s both super relatable and incredibly inspiring.She’s a young mom of two little girls under the age of two, who joined the TAS program at 28 years old—and has since lost more than 80 pounds, completely transformed her energy, and reclaimed her confidence in a BIG way.But her journey hasn’t been linear. She’s faced pregnancy, miscarriage, doubt, and even a few Taco Bell detours along the way. And yet, she kept coming back, and every time she did, she saw more results—because she finally found the truth about how her body actually works.So whether you’re a busy mom, just getting started, or feel like you’ve tried everything, I know you’re going to be inspired by her story.Let’s get into it.----------To learn more and get started on making this the year of you, be sure to visit thinlicious.com/program.

If you’ve tried everything—from doctors to diets to detoxes—and still feel exhausted, inflamed, or just off... this episode is for you.Because what if the real reason you’re not healing isn’t your willpower... it’s that no one’s actually gotten to the root of what’s going on?In this episode we’re chatting with Carrie Drinkwine, a regenerative health expert, root-cause specialist, and the founder of the Institute of Regenerative Health. After healing herself from multiple autoimmune conditions, chronic illness, and even infertility, Carrie made it her mission to help other women do the same—physically, emotionally, and energetically.And let me tell you, this conversation is deep. We talk about why so many women get stuck in survival mode, what conventional and even functional medicine often misses, and how real healing can actually start when you go beyond just managing symptoms.If your labs say you’re “fine” but you still feel like garbage… if you’ve spent years pushing through the pain, the fog, the anxiety—this episode is going to challenge what you think you know about your body.But more than that, it’s going to give you hope.So let’s dive in.----------You can find Carrie at www.carriedrinkwine.comOr on her SocialsIG @carriedrinkwineIG @instituteofregenerativehealthLinkedInFacebookTikTok @carriedrinkwine----------Want to learn more about how our program can help you lose weight and get healthy FOR LIFE without dieting or drugs, then I'd love to invite you to join me for my FREE training!It will walk you through it all, and it's really good and really helpful.To get all the info and get signed up, just go to thinlicious.com/happy. 

If you’ve ever peed a little when you laughed—or if sex has started to feel more painful than pleasurable—you might be dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction… even if no one’s ever told you that.Pelvic floor issues are way more common than you think, especially for women over 40. So why aren’t we talking about them?Well, today we are.We’re going to be chatting with Christina Walsh, a licensed physical therapist and the co-founder of Tighten Your Tinkler, where she specializes in holistic pelvic floor health for women—especially those of us over 40.Christina’s work is all about non-invasive, practical solutions to problems like leaks, prolapse, pelvic pain, and all the awkward stuff that no one wants to talk about—but so many of us are secretly dealing with.And I’ve got to say, this conversation was SO eye-opening. Whether you’ve had kids or not, whether you’re in perimenopause or postmenopause, this is info every woman needs to hear.----------You can find Christina at tightenyourtinkler.comOr on Instagram at @tighten.your.tinkler, and YouTube.----------Want to learn more about how our program can help you lose weight and get healthy FOR LIFE without dieting or drugs, then I'd love to invite you to join me for my FREE training!It will walk you through it all, and it's really good and really helpful.To get all the info and get signed up, just go to thinlicious.com/happy.